Various types of compressible materials can be conventionally packaged into relatively large, discrete bales to facilitate the storage and transport of the materials. A plurality of the bales can be vertically arranged into stacks to facilitate transport and maximize storage space. When the compressible material is ready for use, the bales can be unpackaged and the material can be used for its intended application.
The compressible materials can be compressed prior to packaging in order to increase the density of the bales. In conventional baling processes, the fact that the material is in a compressed state typically leads to the formation of bales with significantly “crowned” upper and lower surfaces, i.e., the bales have significantly arched upper and lower surfaces as shown in FIG. 8. These significantly crowned upper and lower surfaces have an adverse effect on the stability of the aforementioned vertical bale stacks. FIG. 9 shows a vertical bale stack that is rendered unstable due to the significantly crowned surfaces of the conventional bales. For example, the vertical bale stacks formed from the conventional bales have a tendency to tip over and/or fall during routine handling, as can be seen from FIG. 10. The reduced stability of the vertical bale stacks can be a safety hazard at the worksite, and can substantially increase the amount of time and/or cost associated with the storage and transport of the bales.